This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowReprints and Permissions
Right arrow Copyright Information
Right arrow Books from ASM Press
Right arrow MicrobeWorld
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Wawrik, B.
Right arrow Articles by Kukor, J. J.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Wawrik, B.
Right arrow Articles by Kukor, J. J.
Agricola
Right arrow Articles by Wawrik, B.
Right arrow Articles by Kukor, J. J.

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2005, p. 2232-2238, Vol. 71, No. 5
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.5.2232-2238.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Identification of Unique Type II Polyketide Synthase Genes in Soil

Boris Wawrik,1* Lee Kerkhof,2 Gerben J. Zylstra,1,4 and Jerome J. Kukor1,3

Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment,1 Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences,2 Department of Environmental Sciences,3 Department of Microbiology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Cook College, New Brunswick, New Jersey4

Received 2 September 2004/ Accepted 30 November 2004

Many bacteria, particularly actinomycetes, are known to produce secondary metabolites synthesized by polyketide synthases (PKS). Bacterial polyketides are a particularly rich source of bioactive molecules, many of which are of potential pharmaceutical relevance. To directly access PKS gene diversity from soil, we developed degenerate PCR primers for actinomycete type II KS{alpha} (ketosynthase) genes. Twenty-one soil samples were collected from diverse sources in New Jersey, and their bacterial communities were compared by terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (TRFLP) analysis of PCR products generated using bacterial 16S rRNA gene primers (27F and 1525R) as well as an actinomycete-specific forward primer. The distribution of actinomycetes was highly variable but correlated with the overall bacterial species composition as determined by TRFLP. Two samples were identified to contain a particularly rich and unique actinomycete community based on their TRFLP patterns. The same samples also contained the greatest diversity of KS{alpha} genes as determined by TRFLP analysis of KS{alpha} PCR products. KS{alpha} PCR products from these and three additional samples with interesting TRFLP pattern were cloned, and seven novel clades of KS{alpha} genes were identified. Greatest sequence diversity was observed in a sample containing a moderate number of peaks in its KS{alpha} TRFLP. The nucleotide sequences were between 74 and 81% identical to known sequences in GenBank. One cluster of sequences was most similar to the KS{alpha} involved in ardacin (glycopeptide antibiotic) production by Kibdelosporangium aridum. The remaining sequences showed greatest similarity to the KS{alpha} genes in pathways producing the angucycline-derived antibiotics simocyclinone, pradimicin, and jasomycin.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Biotechnology Center for Agriculture and the Environment, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8521. Phone: (732) 932-8165. Fax: (732) 932-6535. E-mail: wawrik{at}aesop.rutgers.edu.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, May 2005, p. 2232-2238, Vol. 71, No. 5
0099-2240/05/$08.00+0     doi:10.1128/AEM.71.5.2232-2238.2005
Copyright © 2005, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.



This article has been cited by other articles:

  • Healy, F. G., Eaton, K. P., Limsirichai, P., Aldrich, J. F., Plowman, A. K., King, R. R. (2009). Characterization of {gamma}-Butyrolactone Autoregulatory Signaling Gene Homologs in the Angucyclinone Polyketide WS5995B Producer Streptomyces acidiscabies. J. Bacteriol. 191: 4786-4797 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wang, J., Schully, K. L., Pettis, G. S. (2009). Growth-Regulated Expression of a Bacteriocin, Produced by the Sweet Potato Pathogen Streptomyces ipomoeae, That Exhibits Interstrain Inhibition. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 75: 1236-1242 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Narisawa, N., Haruta, S., Arai, H., Ishii, M., Igarashi, Y. (2008). Coexistence of Antibiotic-Producing and Antibiotic-Sensitive Bacteria in Biofilms Is Mediated by Resistant Bacteria. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 3887-3894 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Chung, E. J., Lim, H. K., Kim, J.-C., Choi, G. J., Park, E. J., Lee, M. H., Chung, Y. R., Lee, S.-W. (2008). Forest Soil Metagenome Gene Cluster Involved in Antifungal Activity Expression in Escherichia coli. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 723-730 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Wawrik, B., Kutliev, D., Abdivasievna, U. A., Kukor, J. J., Zylstra, G. J., Kerkhof, L. (2007). Biogeography of Actinomycete Communities and Type II Polyketide Synthase Genes in Soils Collected in New Jersey and Central Asia. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73: 2982-2989 [Abstract] [Full Text]  
  • Thies, J. E. (2007). Soil Microbial Community Analysis using Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphisms. Soil Sci. 71: 579-591 [Abstract] [Full Text]  


Copyright © 2009 by the American Society for Microbiology.   For an alternate route to Journals.ASM.org, visit: http://intl-journals.asm.org | More Info»